Chapter 692: To the Death

The audience below the stage paused, then erupted in cheers and applause. They had thought the martial arts competition was over for the day, but with the champion suddenly back on stage, there was clearly more excitement to come.

The thin man let out a long, drawn-out "Oh!" Why hadn't this guy told him he was going on stage? He could have set up the betting!

The bets offered on Broken Blade were no longer simple win/lose propositions. Everyone was betting on Broken Blade to win, so what profit could be made?

The derivative bets included how many moves it would take him to defeat an opponent, whether he would use a specific technique or divine power, and how many people would challenge him this time... General Hong suddenly raised her hand and clapped three times slowly.

Each clap resonated deeply with the crowd. In just three breaths, the area around the arena fell silent. General Hong then announced in a clear voice, "This month's live training session now begins!"

The Martial Arts Academy held a live training session once a month, usually featuring brave generals as guest instructors, with General Hong occasionally participating herself.

However, she was always so busy that He Lingchuan had visited Panlong City numerous times without ever catching one of her live training sessions.

General Hong continued, "The training content: observe Broken Blade defending the 'life-and-death arena' today. Real weapons are allowed, and 'wheel combat' tactics are permitted."

The entire arena erupted in an uproar, nearly exploding. Martial arts competitions in Panlong City typically only allowed wooden weapons from the Martial Arts Academy to prevent accidental fatalities.

However, there was also a type of arena combat to settle grudges, known as "life-and-death duels." During these fights, there were no taboos; anything brutal or cunning was permitted. Both parties had to sign an agreement beforehand, accepting full responsibility for their lives, and any deep-seated grudge was to be considered completely settled after the fight.

Life-and-death duels could not be initiated casually; they required special approval and occurred less than once every six months. General Hong actually allowed Broken Blade to defend a life-and-death duel, and even permitted 'wheel combat.' Those who understood the brutal nature of such a contest were utterly dumbfounded.

What had Broken Blade done to deserve such a punishment? He Lingchuan gave a wry smile, "General, this..."

"If you fight until death, you won't be nervous anymore," General Hong said. It was unclear if her words were meant as comfort. Wasn't he afraid of death?

Once dead, there would be no more nervousness. Seeing no one stepping forward, General Hong simply called out directly, "Meng Shan, step forward!"

The crowd parted, and a large figure hesitated for a while before slowly walking out.

"General..." Meng Shan did not want to go up. He had fought Broken Blade more than a dozen times and was thoroughly sick of it. General Hong lifted her chin towards the arena and said, "Go up."

Unable to refuse, Meng Shan went to the weapon rack and pulled out a large staff. But General Hong didn't let him off the hook: "Where's your spiked mace?"

Meng Shan had no choice but to take out his signature weapon and jump onto the arena. This steel spiked mace was almost half a man's height, its head stained black with indelible marks, tainted with who knew how much blood and flesh.

Ever since Meng Shan's surrender, He Lingchuan hadn't fought him with real weapons, but his memory of this mace was still fresh.

Since he had to fight, in just a few breaths, he had adjusted his mindset. With a serious expression, he said to Meng Shan, "Please!" He was here, so he would fight!

As he and Meng Shan fought on stage, General Hong stood below, analyzing and lecturing to the spectators. This opportunity was incredibly valuable, as they could not only observe real combat but also benefit from General Hong's commentary. Everyone watched, transfixed.

Of course, neither He Lingchuan nor Meng Shan had time to listen carefully to what she was saying. Twenty rounds later, Meng Shan was kicked off the stage by He Lingchuan.

Three breaths later, the spiked mace, which had almost been flung high into the air, clanged back to the ground, embedding itself beside one of the arena's wooden stakes.

"First round, Broken Blade wins," General Hong announced. She glanced at the stage; He Lingchuan's chest was heaving, but there was no sweat at his temples. "I see you're in good shape. A stick of incense's worth of rest will be enough. Lao Chunsheng, step forward and prepare to enter the arena!"

A sturdy man walked out of the crowd, answering loudly. His weapons were a pair of battle axes.

The crowd also gasped. This man was also a combat hero from the Great Wind Army; the pair of battle axes in his hands had already slain over a hundred people. They hadn't expected him to be designated as Broken Blade's opponent today.

At this point, the list of subsequent challengers was also released. The thin man below the stage was frantically busy. The recent battle between He Lingchuan and Meng Shan had held no suspense; what everyone wanted to bet on now was how many rounds Broken Blade could endure.

Since it was a wheel combat, Broken Blade would surely fall eventually. Everyone believed General Hong wouldn't actually let him be beaten to death; only He Lingchuan himself understood that this arena battle today would not end well.

An incense stick later, Lao Chunsheng jumped onto the arena and said in a deep voice, "I bear no grudge against you, and I respect you, but today I will not hold back." He Lingchuan had already regulated his breathing, and, turning sideways, pressed his hand on the hilt of the Fushusheng Saber, preventing its cold gleam from showing. "It should be so!" he replied.

Dusk was falling. After Lao Chunsheng, many more people entered the arena. He Lingchuan could no longer quite remember how many exactly.

He had just knocked an opponent flat on his back, unable to move, but he himself was leaning against the corner of the arena, unable to get up for a long time. Two of his ribs were broken, half his face was swollen like a pig's head, and blood and sweat streamed down, making it impossible to open his eyes.

There was also a three-inch long wound on his left waist, gushing blood. During the mid-match break, A Luo quickly treated his wound, whispering, "I think you've fought enough. Ask General Hong to stop it!"

General Hong happened to walk over to He Lingchuan, hands clasped behind her back, looking at him. "Do you want to keep fighting or stop?" she asked. He Lingchuan gave a wry smile. "Can I stop?" he asked, no longer nervous.

"How would you know without trying?" she responded. He Lingchuan then honestly said, "Reporting, General, I wish to stop fighting."

"Rejected," General Hong immediately refused. "The competition will only end when you truly cannot move."

He Lingchuan sighed silently. It was worse to be given hope only to have it extinguished than to have none at all. A Luo exclaimed in surprise, "W-why?"

"No battle will stop just because you call for it to stop," General Hong said. She walked to the edge of the stage, personally struck the bronze bell, and declared, "The competition continues!"

The moment the first ray of morning sunlight came in, He Lingchuan woke up. He blinked, his mind still lingering on the last battle in Panlong City.

It seemed to be the tenth or eleventh opponent. Both of them were panting heavily like oxen, their lungs feeling like broken bellows, each breath rattling.

His consciousness was already dull; he didn't even remember who he was. The opponent's weapon had already been knocked away by him, but he pulled up a stake from the arena and violently struck He Lingchuan on the temple.

During the preceding battles, the arena stakes had already loosened, and two nails remained embedded in them. He Lingchuan even remembered the sensation of the nails piercing his flesh and directly entering his temple... The pain was excruciating.

But it was only for a moment. He must have been knocked out because he woke up immediately afterward. In that instant, he seemed to hear some scoundrel below the stage shouting, "I won! I won!"

He didn't know who had profited from his suffering by successfully betting on the number of wheel combat rounds.

He Lingchuan muttered a couple of curses, then suddenly realized that his state of mind had changed after waking up. After enduring a night of brutal, endless wheel combat, he had become calm, as if the stake had knocked his soul out of his body, allowing him to observe himself, others, and everything that was about to happen from an outsider's perspective.

He didn't know if this state counted as numbness, but in any case, he had entered a state of neither sorrow nor joy, his mind as calm as still water.

General Hong's method was crude and extreme, but effective. At least he was genuinely no longer nervous. Not at all.

After he had fought with all his might, struggled, and finally, helplessly but calmly accepted death, death could no longer threaten him.

He Lingchuan let out a long sigh. Entering Panlong City last night, he had originally intended to find Master Sun, whether to reminisce or to say goodbye. As a result, he hadn't even managed to see the beauty.

Clearly, the Grand Flask believed that what he needed at this moment was not romantic attachment. This was truly a divine artifact with a personality, completely disregarding its owner's emotions.

He Lingchuan packed his bags, changed his clothes, and calmly walked out of his residence. A night of wind and rain had given way to a morning rainbow bridge spanning the sky, with one end seemingly resting on the lake of Pianxiang Villa.

The morning air was cool and fresh. He Lingchuan walked into the painted boat, drifted into the lake, and closed his eyes amidst the shimmering green waves, seizing the moment to comprehend last night's battle.

He reflected on every life-or-death moment; every time he gave his all; and the mindset of resolutely facing the next opponent, knowing the battle would be ceaseless unless he collapsed from exhaustion.

Panlong City was trying to teach him how to face despair. After an unknown period, someone on the shore suddenly called out to him, "He Xiao, it's time to go!"

By this time, the sun was high in the sky. Fu Shanyue, acting with swift efficiency, had already returned from the Lingxiao Palace, where he had gone to bid farewell to the Demon Emperor.

The Emperor was currently overwhelmed by the immortal elixir case and Grand Preceptor Qingyang. He was eager for Fu Shanyue to leave, so during their meeting, he didn't try to detain him, merely offering a few polite words for Fu Shanyue to convey to the Crimson Flame Demon King.

That afternoon, the Crimson Flame envoy delegation departed from Lingxu City through the South Gate. Many nobles came to see them off, and the air was filled with a joyful atmosphere. They also personally saw He Xiao accompanying the Crimson Flame Crown Prince, withdrawing together from the grand stage of Lingxu City.

But it didn't matter; whether the Crimson Flame people stayed or left, the city's many amusements would continue.

He Lingchuan traveled with Fu Shanyue for three days, basically journeying day and night, already far from Lingxu City's territory.

During these three days, Panlong City did not open to He Lingchuan again. If they rushed south for another three or four days, they would reach the northern border of the Crimson Flame Kingdom.

Fu Shanyue was eager to return home, speeding along the entire way. Just after passing the Tianshui Post Station, He Lingchuan bid him farewell.

Fu Shanyue knew his decision was made and didn't try to dissuade him. He only asked, "Until we meet again?"

"Of course," He Lingchuan smiled. "I think we'll meet again soon."

"That's good," Fu Shanyue said, truly meaning it. "Send more letters when you can."

The two clasped their fists to each other, both feeling a pang of sadness. The fierce tiger, Jiaoyu, pounced, wrapping its fan-sized paws around He Lingchuan's shoulders. Its large head rubbed against his forehead, letting out a mooing sound like an ox.

With its strength, an ordinary person would have been knocked over. He Lingchuan sensed its sadness, reached out, and vigorously rubbed its large head a few times. Feeling reluctant, he said, "We must part eventually. I'll come back to see you, okay?"

Unfortunately, he still had important business to attend to.

Fu Shanyue pursed his lips, jumped onto his horse, and said, "You'll regret not coming back to Crimson Flame with me, sooner or later, heh!" With that, he whipped his horse and rode off, without looking back.